Taliban militants struck at Afghan security forces on Sunday, storming an army recruiting centre in the north and ambushing a bus carrying army officers in the capital — the first major attack in Kabul in months.
At least 10 Afghan security forces were killed in the two attacks, while the storming of the recruiting centre in the northern province of Kunduz led to a fierce firefight lasting hours, officials said. Both operations were claimed by the Taliban.
In Kabul, two insurgents strapped with explosives ambushed a bus carrying Afghan army officers to work during the morning rush hour on the outskirts of the capital, killing five and wounding nine, said Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi.
The two attackers first opened fire on the bus before one of them detonated his explosives near the vehicle. Soldiers shot the second dead, Azimi said.
A witness to Sunday’s attack, Hamidullah Khan, said the gunmen ambushed the bus as it was heading down Jalalabad Road, a main route into the city center.
“The army vehicles were passing this road and then the Taliban or some sort of insurgents started shooting at them,” Khan said. Most of the fighting in Afghanistan has been concentrated in the south. An internal review of President Barack Obama’s year-old war strategy noted progress against Taliban momentum.
{{/usCountry}}“The army vehicles were passing this road and then the Taliban or some sort of insurgents started shooting at them,” Khan said. Most of the fighting in Afghanistan has been concentrated in the south. An internal review of President Barack Obama’s year-old war strategy noted progress against Taliban momentum.
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